Wireline feed-in device



1961 F. o. BOHN WIRELINE FEED-IN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 3, 1955 IZOVD 0. BO/ /N,

INVENTOR.

' IQG'ENT Aug. 29, 1961 F. o. BOHN WIRELINE FEED-IN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 3, 1955 EG. a.

FZOVD O. BOA M INVENTOR.

United States Patent F 2,998,071 WIRELINE FEED-IN DEVICE Floyd 0. Bohn, La Habra, 'Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 538,093, Oct. 3, 1955. This application Feb. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 714,432 16 Claims. (Cl. 166-77) This invention relates to wireline feed-in devices adapted for feeding a wireline into a closed chamber against pressure tending to expel the wireline from the chamber. More specifically, the invention relates to means adapted for use at the upper or casinghead end of oil or gas wells to feed into the casing or to means attached to the upper end of the casing a wireline against the pressure of the well. It is well known that some oil and gas wells are operated under considerable pressure and that when it becomes necessary to lower instruments or tools within the casing or well, considerable difiiculty may be experienced in feeding into the well against such pressure the wireline supporting the apparatus. The invention contemplates means for greatly facilitating drawing into the well or closed chamber a wireline against the pressure there existent; and contemplates the provision of means whereby relatively long lengths of wireline may be rapidly and continuously drawn into the pressurized portion of the well head. It is contemplated that the apparatus of the present invention include or be used in connection with suitable means for holding against expulsion from the pressurized chamber or well a previously drawn-in portion of the wireline, during periods of time intervening between individual wireline drawing-in operations or strokes.

This application is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 538,093 filed October 3, 1955, and now abandoned.

This invention is related in certain aspects to that disclosed in an application of David R. Jackson, Serial No. 538,176, filed on October 3, 1955, and now abandoned in favor of continuation application Serial No. 714,431 filed February 10, 1958.

While the apparatus of the present invention is of general applicability in drawing a wireline into a chamber under pressure, it will be illustrated and described in connection with apparatus located at the casinghead of a typical oil or gas well. In that particular environment a tool or other apparatus may be lowered through suitable gate valve means and into the well while the well is under pressure, suspended upon a suitable wireline which extends through means forming a part of or attached to the wellhead structure, which acts to seal the wireline extending therethrough against the pressure of the well. Such sealing means, which may be of a commercially known type or as shown, exert considerable friction upon the wireline and thus in general tend to prevent downward motion of the apparatus or tool and wireline into the well under the influence of gravitation; at least until a considerable extent of wireline is in the well. As a consequence, various means and expedients have heretofore been proposed for forcing the wireline into the well against the pressure of the well and against the friction exerted by the sealing means. None of these previously proposed devices or apparatus appears to have been uniformly successful regardless of the pressure of the well, and the present invention, accordingly, contemplates as a principal object the provision of simple means whereby a wireline may be readily and rapidly fed into a well or similar closed pressure chamber, irrespective of the magnitude of the pressure. A further and subsidiary object of the present invention is the provision of 2,998,071 Patented Aug. 29, 1961 means for efliciently and rapidly drawing intosuch a well or closed chamber under pressure a relatively long length of wireline in a single continuous drawing operation. Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be made or become apparent in connection with the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and a modification of one portion or part of such embodiment, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation, partly fragmentary in nature, illustrating the environment and relative location of the apparatus of the present invention as applied for operation upon a typical oil or gas well casinghead structure;

FIGURES 2a and 2b are fragmentary sectional views in elevation of a preferred form of apparatus according to the principles of the invention, the upper end of FIGURE 2b constituting a continuation of the lower end of FIGURE 2a;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of apparatus depicted partly in section in FIGURE 2b, the view being taken on a plane coincident with line A-A in FIGURE 2b, and illustrating a mode of mounting certain wireline engaging or gripping elements; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation depicting a modification of certain parts of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2b.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to FIGURE 1, 10 designates a wireline which may be of the piano wire or single element type, or may be a multi-strand wireline comprising spirally twisted elements. The Wireline is supplied from a conventional hoist drum (not shown) and coursed around a suitable guide sheave 12 supported by conventional means, only a portion of which is shown. The wireline extends downwardly from the sheave through means presently described and into a well casing therebelow. Preferably, but not necessarily, the apparatus necessary to a practice of the invention is incorporated into a wireline lubricator structure, wherein it may utilize a portion of the lubricator tubing as a cylinder for containing operating parts. In either case, the invention comprehends utilizing the pressure of the Well fluid to aid in reducing the work necessary to feed in a wireline. At 14 is depicted the upper end of a tubular member which may be the well casing or part of the casinghead structure, in which is contained gas or other well fluid under pressure, and through which the Wireline passes as it courses into and from the well. Support ed by and extending upwardly from member 14 is a cylinder 16, preferably forming a part of a lubricator structure and used for a purpose presently to be disclosed. Supported on the upper end of cylinder 16 is a special coupling member 18 into the upper end of which is secured a length of high pressure tubing 20 for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained. Superimposed upon the upper end of tubing 20 and secured thereto is a suitable sealing or packotf means 24 which performs functions hereinafter fully described. The sealing means 24 may, if desired, be a conventional packing gland structure; or may be a wireline seal containing structure of the type shown in detail in FIGURE 2a. It will be understood that the wireline 10 passing downwardly from sheave 12 extends successively through sealing means 24, tubing 20, coupling 18, cylinder 16 and tubular member 14, and is held against expulsion from the chamber formed by member 14 and the associated structure by the pressure of the well fluid, by the sealing means 24. This will be more fully explained in connection with the apparatus depicted in FIGURE 2a.

Referring now to FIGURE 2a, means 24 comprises a generally cylindrical high pressure member having an A 3 7 internal transverse support wall 26 provided with a central aperture 28 through which wireline is adapted to pass without appreciable friction. Above wall 26 is a cavity in which are mounted packing means comprising a plurality of resilientsealing pad 30 of suitable material such as synthetic rubber. The pads are held under compression to elfect a tight sealing relationship with wireline 10 by means of an apertured cap member 32 as indicated. Referring now to both FIGURES 2a and 2b, the lower end of member 24 is secured to the upper end of tubing 20 by a suitable pressure-tight joint. Tubing 2%, which is provided to accommodate operating means hereinafter more fully described, is secured at its lower end in the upper part of a specially formed coupling 18, as indicated. The chamber provided by the interior of high pressure tubing 20 is adapted to receive and have exhausted therefrom an operating fluid which may be well fluid under high pressure, through a suitable tubing 22, under conditions and for a purpose hereinafter explained. Coupling 18 is provided with a central axial aperture through which wireline 10 and other means hereinafter described are adapted to pass freely, and through which operating fluid under high pressure introduced through tubing 22 may pass downwardly and be expelled upwardly by a piston means presently described.

Cylinder 16 is provided with a smooth internal bore in which is reciprocably mounted reciprocable means in the form of piston means, indicated generally at 36 and comprising a piston 34 having a generally centrally located axial aperture or wireline passage as indicated. Suitably secured in piston 34 and forming an upper extension of the wireline passage just mentioned is a short tube 38 upon the exposed exterior portion of which is contractively mounted an expanded end of a resilient wireline sealing sleeve 40 made of suit-able material such as synthetic rubber. Sleeve 40 is so formed as to pass, when in relaxed state, the wireline therethrough in a loose sliding fit, and its composition is such that it is relatively selfsupporting in the attitude pictured.

Also mounted on piston 34 for reciprocatory movement thereby is a wireline gripping mean comprising a plurality of wireline engaging or gripping dogs 4242 mounted on respective pivot pins 44 44 and stressed in an upward direction, as pictured; that is, in a wireline gripping direction, by means of springs 46 in a manner evident from the drawing. Dogs 42 are formed with wireline engaging faces of non-uniform radii, and as shown, with such faces of increasing radius downwardly and of cross-sectional configuration to provide good gripping faces, as shown in FIGURE 3. Normally resting upon the upper flat surfaces of dogs 42 are respective dog-releasing plungers 48 each of which extends through a respective sealed bore formed in the upper portion of tained in the portion of cylinder 16 below piston 34 may be prevented from leaking upwardly past the piston and past plungers 48 into the space thereabove by suitable sealing means such as chevron seals, or O-rings as indicated. Piston 34 may, if desired, be retained in an idle position substantially in contact with the lower interior face of coupling 18 by suitable ball and spring detent means such as are indicated generally at 50, the ball of the means in that position engaging in a portion of a groove 52 formed near the upper end of the interior of cylinder 16. When piston 34 is raised to near its uppermost position by the well fluid therebeneath, the upper ends of plungers 48 engage the lower interior surface of coupling 18 and are forced downwardly relative to the piston, and force the dogs 42 to rotate downwardly out of engagement with the wireline, against the force exerted by the respective springs 46. Under this condition the wireline is free to travel upwardly or downwardly, free from engagement by the dogs. Thus, until piston 34 is forced downwardly by operating fluid supplied through tubing 22, the detent may hold the wireline advancing 4 7 means in the idle position substantially free of the wireline. When operating fluid under pressure somewhat greater than the pressure of the well fluid is introduced through tubing 22, the pressure in the region above piston 34 and within high pressure tubing 20 increases until the ambient pressure in that region is in excess of the well pressure, at which time operating fluid passes downwardly through the aperture in coupling 18, and also tends to commence leaking downwardly through sleeve 40 and along wireline 10, thereby creating a venturi effect within the sleeve at a location above tube 38. The resulting reduction in pressure within sleeve 40 and increase in pressure on the exterior of sleeve 40 causes an inward collapse of the sleeve into engagement with wireline 10. This inward collapse of the sleeve into engagement with the wireline serves as an eflicient seal against any substantial leakage of operating fluid past the piston means into the lower chamber of cylinder 16. Upon continued admission of operating fluid through tubing 22, piston 34 is forced downwardly, permitting upward travel of plungers 48 relative to piston 34 and contemporaneous upward rocking of dogs 42 until the latter tightly grip the wireline, after which time continued downward movement of piston 34 effects downward feeding or draft of an extent of wireline through the sealing means provided by pads 30. Downward movement of piston 34 may be, and preferably is, accompanied by outward movement of well fluid from below the piston through a suitable tubing 23. 7

In the event well fluid is employed as operating fluid for operating piston 34 downwardly, tubing 23 may be connected by conventional valve means to the intake of the pump supplying the operating fluid to tubing 22, whereby the pump need supply only a little more than the difference between the pressures above and below the piston. The downward drawing of the wireline may continue until piston 34 reaches the end of its possible extent of inward or downward travel, which in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is reached when the lower skirt of the piston contacts a suitable stop means such "as that conveniently provided by an internal shoulder formed as indicated in the upper interior of the tubular member 14 forming *a portion of the casinghead. It is evident that the extent of downward stroke of piston 34 and equivalent length or extent of wireline drawn into the .casing is dependent principally upon the length of cylinder 16, and may be as great as is convenient or desired. Thus by provision of a suitably long cylinder 16, a relatively long length of wireline may be fed into the chamber or well in one. continuous movement. It is evident that during the drawing-in or feeding-in movement of the wireline, the force applied by the operating fluid upon the upper face of piston 34 must exceed the force applied to the piston by the well fluid plus the force necessary torovercome the frictional forces including that exerted upon the wireline by the packing pads 30 in the sealing means 24. The work necessary to operate the apparatus, and represented by the stroke of the piston multiplied by, the diiference between the forces exerted upon it by the well and operating fluids, may be lessened in obvious manner by utilizing the well fluid, either to operate the pump supplying operating fluid to tubing '22, or as operating fluid fed to the pump to have its pressure increased. Following a working stroke of piston 34 in a downward or wireline drawing-in direction, return of the piston and associated apparatus is effected by releasing the operating fluid supplied through tubing 22 so that the operating fluid may escape or be discharged from above the piston and permit return of the latter under the action of the pressure of the well fluid. Release of the operating fluid may beby a reverse flow through tubing 22 under control of a valve, and may be to the atmosphere or to a suitable container. It is obvious that the return stroke of piston 34 need not be complete, that is, need not be such as to cause engagement of plungers 34 with the lower face of coupling 18, and the return stroke or movement may be terminated short of a position in which the ball of the detent means 50 engages in groove 52. Further, it is evident that upon commencement of an upward stroke of piston 34 the dogs 42 will be induced by the wireline to rock downward to a slight extent sufllcient to relieve their tight grip upon the wireline, after which they. will slide idly along the wireline during the remainder of the return stroke. During the nonworking or return stroke of the piston the wireline is held from expulsion from the chamber under influence of the pressure of the well fluid, by the grip exerted on the line by the packing or sealing means 24.

. A. modification of the piston means and appurtenant apparatus is illustrated in FIGURE 4. In that figure a modified form of piston 34a supports a plurality of wireline gripping dogs 42a which are spring-loaded or urged toward wireline gripping position by means of respective springs 46:: of any suitable type, such as those depicted. The wireline gripping dogs may be rotated downwardly to wireline releasing position by means of respective plungers 48a mounted in individual sealed bores formed through the upper wall of piston 34a, as the plungers engage the lower face of coupling 18a in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with dogs 42. Suitably mounted in a recess in the upper face of piston 34a for movement therewith is a tubular member 28a in which is positioned a spiral packing member 56 of resilient material such as synthetic rubber, so formed as to provide .a closely fitting seal for the-wireline extending through the piston, and also formed to closely fit the internal wall of member 2811. Upward escape of packing member 56 from tubular member 28a may be prevented by suitable means such as a retainer ring 58 secured in the upper interior of member 28a as indicated. A modified form of coupling 18a interconnects tubing 20 with cylinder 16, and is provided with a central aperture of somewhat greater diameter than that of member 28a. Piston 34:: may be retained in an idle position by engagement of a detent means 50a comprising a spring-urged ball which may be engaged in the internal groove 52 formed in the upper interior of cylinder 16. Upon reciprocation of the piston means comprising piston 34a, packing member 56 is relatively free to moveupwardly and downwardly in its retaining tubular member 28a, but will in general during downward movements of the piston be forced downwardly .into engagement with the upper face of the piston by the pressure. of the operating fluid introduced through tubing 22. i

It may be noted from the previous description of the apparatus that the wireline gripping and drawing means carried by piston 34 forms in effect a unidirectional clutch means movable in wireline drawing and return movements by the piston means at the latter is reciprocated by alternate application and release of operatlng fluid through tubing 22, anddit will be evident that any desired number of wireline gripping dogs 42 may be employed, depending upon the particular design selected for the apparatus. Forthe sake of convenience in illustrating the principles of the invention, two such wireline gripping dogs or slips have been shown. It alsois evident that the extent of each wireline drawing-in movement of the piston and associated means is limited only by the length of cylinder 16 and that the wireline advancing and return movements of the piston and associated means may be regulated as regards frequency and extent by manually operated or automatically operated valve means interposed between the supply of pressurized operating fluid and tubing 22. The operating fluid may obviously be exhausted either to the atmosphere, as when compressed air or well gas is employed, or may be exhausted to a suitable container as when a suitable hydraulic fluid or well liquid is employed. As the piston and wireline gripping means moves in wireline advancing direction the wireline is drawn through the-sealing means thereabove, against the frictional holding force applied ato-thewireline-by the pads 30.- During return movement of the piston and-wireline advancing means, the wireline is held against expulsion from the closed chambers therebeneath by the holding effect of the pads 30 in sealing means 24. The reciprocating wireline advancing means comprising the piston 34 and operated by means including the pressurized operating fluid, is seen to be suitably guided and restrained for reciprocatory movement of the desired magnitude and order by the guiding and restraining surfaces formed by the interior wall of cylinder 16 and the adjacent surfaces of the members with which the cylinder is connected. The reciprocatory wireline advancing means including the piston operates in a cham her in which fluid under at least well pressure exists, the chamber being separated or divided into first (upper) and second (lower) chamber portions by the piston means. As operating fluid under greater than well pressure is introduced into the upper chamber portion above the piston, the excess of pressure causes the wireline engaging means including tube 40 or packing 56 to tightly engage the wireline extending along the wireline path between sheave 12 and the well. Continued admission of operating fluid results in downward movement of the piston and concurrent drawing in of more wireline by the wireline engaging means traveling with the piston. The wireline is drawn from the low-pressure region outside the structure and into the high-pressure chamber through a blow-by or pack-off means such as pads 30, against all the forces tending to resist feeding-in movement. As the piston and wireline engaging and gripping means return upwardly in an idle return movement, the wireline may be restrained from return movement by the inertia of the tools' or equipment suspended thereby in the well, or by wireline holding means such as are in this case represented by pads 30, or by a combination of such means.

In the light of the preceding disclosure of a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the principles of theinVentiom-many modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details of the structures illustrated and described, but what I claim is:

1. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receiving-chamber aligned With and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; wireline gripping means carried by said piston that grip said :wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said gripping means releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; and means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone.

2. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmosphericpressure,- comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with "said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone,

said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline packing means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said packing means; wireline gripping means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said gripping means releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; said packing means frictionally restraining said wireline against movement away from said zone during movement of said piston away from said zone; and means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure Within said zone into said operating fluid receiving chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is Withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone.

3. A wireline feed-in device fordrawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receiving-chamber'aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; wireline gripping means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said gripping means releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operatingrfluid receiving chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone; and means interposed between said gripping means and said body for automatically urging said gripping means to a wireline releasing position when-ever said piston is moved away from said zone to within a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone.

4. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline packing means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; wireline gripping means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said gripping means releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone, said packing means frictionally restraining said wireline against movement away from said zone during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone; andtmeans interposed between said gripping means and 'said body for automatically urging said gripping means said body also being formed with an operating fluid receiving-chamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; jaw means carried 'by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement'of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw means automatically releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; and means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone.

6. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said'zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for, reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline packing means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through saidmeans; jaw means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw saidwireline into said zone, said jaw means automatically releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone;

existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said Zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone.

7. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone,

said-body also being formed with an operating fluid receiving-chamber aligned with and fluidly communicating withsaid cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; jaw means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw means automatically releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said 'piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone; and means interposed between said jaw means and said body for automatically urging said jaw means to a wireline releasing position whenever said piston is moved away from said Zone to Within a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone.

8.- A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receiving-chamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an'aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wirelinepacking means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline frictionally extending through said means; jaw means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw means automatically releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; means interposed between said jaw means and said body for automatically urging said jaw means to a wireline releasing position whenever said piston is moved away from said zone to Within a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone; and means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receivingchamber by the force of the fluidin said zone.

9. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said 'zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; a plurality of jaw elements pivotally carried by said piston; biasing means interposed between said jaw elements and said piston to urge said jaw elements into gripping engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said'wireline into said zone, said jaw elements relaxing said engagement during movement of said piston away from said zone and sliding freely along said wireline; and means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone.

10. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body'also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; a plurality of jaw elements pivotally carried by said piston; biasing means interposed between said jaw elements and said piston to urge said jaw elements into gripping engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw elements relaxing said engagement during movement of said piston away 'from said zone and sliding freely along said wireline; release elements carried by said piston and engageable with said body whenever said piston is moved away from said zone to within a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindricalchamber remote from said zone so as to automatically urge said jaw elements to rel-ax their engagement with said wireline; and means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone.

11. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a 1 1 cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; packing means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receivingchamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; wireline gripping means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said gripping means releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; said packing means frictionally restraining said wireline against movement away from said zone during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within a said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the'fluid in said zone; and a resilient sealing member carried by said piston and extending towards said operating fluid receiving-chamber, said sealing member having a wirelinereceiving passage aligned with the aperture of said piston and contracting into substantially fluid-tight engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston toward said zone.

12. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body alsotbeing formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned'with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receivingchamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; wireline gripping means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said gripping means releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone; means interposed between said gripping means and said body for automatically urging said gripping means to a wireline releasing position whenever said piston is moved away from said zone to within -a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone; and a resilient sealing member carried by said piston and extending towards said operating fluid receivingchamber, said sealing member having a wireline-receiving passage aligned with the aperture of said piston and contracting into substantially fluid-tight engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston toward said zone. 13. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path intoazone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said 12 body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical'chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamher for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; seal means in said aperture slidably engaging said wireline, packing means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; jaw means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw means automatically releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receivingchamber by the force of the fluid in said zone; and a resilient sealing member carried by said piston and extending towards said operating fluid receiving-chamber, said sealing member having a wireline-receiving passage aligned with the aperture of said piston and contracting into substantially fluid-tight engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston toward said zone.

14. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with and fluidly communicating with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; jaw means carried by said piston that grip said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw means automatically'releasing said grip during movement of said piston away from said zone; means on'said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receivingchamber by theforce of the fluid in said zone; means interposed between said jaw means and said body for automatically urging said jaw means to a wireline releasing position whenever said piston is moved away from said zone to within a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone; and a resilient sealing member carried by said piston and extending towardsrsaid operating fluid receiving-chamber, said sealing member having a wireline-receiving passage aligned with the aperture of said piston and contracting into substantially fluidtight engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston toward said zone.

15. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receivingchamber aligned with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; a plurality of jaw elements pivotally carried by said piston; biasing means interposed between said jaw elements and said piston to urge said jaw elements into gripping engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw elements relaxing said engagement during movement of said piston away from said zone and sliding freely along said wireline; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receiving-chamber by the force of the fluid in said zone; and a resilient sealing member carried by said piston and extending towards said operating fluid receiving chamber, said sealing member having a wireline-receiving passage aligned with the aperture of said piston and contracting into substantially fluid-tight engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston toward said zone, said resilient sealing member being of smaller cross-section than said aperture so as to permit fluid communication between said chambers.

16. A wireline feed-in device for drawing wireline along a wireline path into a zone of fluid existing at superatmospheric pressure, comprising: a body formed with a cylindrical chamber exposed at one end to said zone, said body also being formed with an operating fluid receiving-chamber aligned with said cylindrical chamber and extending away from the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone, said wireline being movable through said chambers into said zone; means restraining said body fixed relative to said zone; a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therein towards and away from said zone, said piston being formed with an aperture through which extends said wireline; means on said body substantially sealing the end of said operating fluid receiving-chamber remote from said zone from the atmosphere, said wireline extending through said means; a plurality of jaw elements pivotally carried by said piston; biasing means interposed between said jaw elements and said piston to urge said jaw ele ments into gripping engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston towards said zone so as to draw said wireline into said zone, said jaw elements relaxing said engagement during movement of said piston away from said zone and sliding freely along said wireline; release elements carried by said piston and engageable with said body whenever said piston is moved away from said zone to within a predetermined distance of the end of said cylindrical chamber remote from said zone so as to automatically urge said j-aw elements to relax their engagement with said wireline; means on said body for admitting an operating fluid existing at a pressure higher than the pressure within said zone into said operating fluid receiving-chamber so as to urge said piston towards said zone, said piston being returned when said operating fluid is withdrawn from said operating fluid receivingchamber by the force of the fluid in said zone; and a resilient sealing member carried by said piston and extending toward said operating fluid receiving-chamber, said sealing member having a wireline-receiving passage aligned with the aperture of said piston and contracting into substantially fluid-tight engagement with said wireline solely during movement of said piston toward said zone, said resilient sealing member being or smaller cross-section than said aperture so as to permit fluid communication between said chambers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,853,856 Gattrell Apr. 12, 1932 2,555,145 McKinney May 29, 1951 2,748,870 Bash-am et a1. June 5, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 2,998,071 August 29,- 1961 Floyd 0. Bohn It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as "corrected below.

Column 6, line 58, column 7, lines 1O, 42, and 74, column 8, lines 37 and 67, column 9, lin'es'22, and 57 and 58, and column 10, lines 17 and 49, after "wireline", each occurrence, insert a semicolon; column-.7, line 18, for "zone read zone,

Signed and sealed this 6th day of February 1962.

(SEAL) Attest: I ERNEST W. 'SWIDER D DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

